Responsibility Is Just One Lesson Kids Can Learn From Household Chores

Molly Maid|March 18, 2013

The famous author of the beloved “Dear Abby” column, Abigail Van Buren was known for her wise words of advice. In terms of raising children, Molly Maid completely agrees with something she once said, “If you want children to keep their feet on the ground, put some responsibility on their shoulders.”Opinions about paying kids for chores runs the gamut from Dave Ramsey’s commission structure, which pays specific amounts for completed tasks to your grandfather’s stern words that paying kids to help with the laundry or picking up their room is hogwash! Only you know what reward system will motivate your child and teach responsible financial management.

There are three important takeaways you and your children will realize as household tasks are shared among everyone living in your home:

1. Cleaning isn’t one person’s job.

Whether moms work outside the home, or not, cleaning can be tackled faster if everyone in the household helps. In a recent Goodhousekeeping.com article, Molly Maid President Meg Roberts said one of the biggest spring cleaning mistakes is doing the job alone. Print one of our free chore charts and delegate feeding the family pet and putting toys away to your kids, and demonstrate your willingness to share.

2. Everyone wants more free time.

Kids have busy schedules, and no one knows this more than parents who are frazzled from driving their kids all around town! By having children chip in with age appropriate tasks from putting their socks away to dusting, everyone in the house contributes to creating more free time.

Our customer testimonials regularly talk about the benefit Molly Maid’s professional house cleaning service gives them. Look at what Audrey in Texas shared recently, “It is so nice to come home after a long day at work and walk into a sparkling house and smell the crisp clean smell!!! Molly Maid gives me more free time to enjoy my weekends and evenings with my family and friends where I used to spend the weekend cleaning the house from top to bottom. What a gift! The gift of time!!! Thanks so much for what you do and the level of service you provide. I recommend Molly Maid to every busy person or parent!”

3. Build good habits and memories.

Photo: ThreeIfByBike via Flickr

Will your son’s bed be made as nicely as when you do it, or will your daughter sweep every corner like you would? Probably not, and that’s ok! The biggest lessons kids can learn from pitching in is about everyone being responsible for messes made and taking care of the home. By starting young, you are building good habits your child will hopefully carry through their life. You can make the time you spend cleaning and the time you save cleaning together fun, which creates family memories to last a lifetime!

We’d love to hear what chores your kids complete at home, so share your comments and this post on your social media sites.

Just like shower walls, your kids’ bath toys are at risk for mold growth. They also come in contact with germs floating around in the bathwater, which could spread illnesses among your children. To keep bath toys clean and mold-free, follow these tips to clean them properly. How to Keep Mold Growth at Bay After each bath, squeeze as much water out of the toys as possible. Set them along the side of the tub or somewhere else where they can dry quickly. Turn on the bathroom exhaust fan for 15 to 20 minutes after bath time to draw humidity …